Why Employer Brand is So Important in Engineering

Engineering firms aren’t just missing out on talent to key rivals, they’re losing people to other industries too. How can engineering companies fight back? By creating an enticing employer brand that sets the record straight on the excitement and opportunities it can offer.

There’s a host of statistics available that emphasise the benefits of having a strong employer brand and candidate experience.

According to Job Vibe, employee turnover can be reduced by 28% simply by investing in employer brand.

As an industry, engineering lags behind its rivals in attracting and retaining talent.

In this blog we’re going to attempt to redress the balance by offering practical advice on crafting a compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP).

We’ll cover:

• Engineering’s perception problem
• What’s important to engineers
• Rethinking your employer brand (including a free toolkit)

Setting the record straight

Research conducted by Randstad found that engineering is ranked last of the top five sectors in terms of appeal.

Meanwhile, 74% of male engineers and 75% of female engineers are willing to switch to another sector.

Even more concerning is the fact that 80% of engineering workers aged 25-44 would consider a career elsewhere. That’s not good news for an industry with an ageing talent pool. 

Engineering still has an unfair perception problem, but this is starting to be addressed.

Speaking to Raconteur, David Davies, managing director of Axiom Manufacturing Services, a contract electronics maker based in South Wales, said: “Despite the fact that we live in a technology-driven age, the view many students hold of engineering is that of 40 years ago.

“They think of men working in dirty factories, rather than the scientifically skilled professionals who are responsible for the development of their smartphones.” 

Meanwhile, Alex Caccia, chief executive of Animal Dynamics, a start-up that develops propulsion systems inspired by nature, commented that engineering has plenty to offer compared to other sectors, such as financial services.

He said: “Engineering is a highly creative pursuit. Solutions are first imagined, modelled, and then made and tested. It is creativity with an edge because things have to work. It is real creativity. The problems that need solving are infinite and fascinating, and far more interesting than trading coins or producing an M&A prospectus.”

In short, engineering needs to start actively selling the forward-thinking innovation that’s shaping the industry.

What’s important to engineers?

What do the engineers of today (and tomorrow) actually value?

Randstad’s research listed the top 10 attributes engineering workers are looking for in a company.

Attractive salary and benefits, work-life balance and job security were top of the pile.

However, in a corresponding list of values attributed to the largest engineering companies, just 53% of respondents agreed that job security was one of them while only 44% believe the big firms are offering a good work-life balance.

To attract and retain the best people, organisations need to adapt their EVP and ensure it aligns with what their talent is really looking for.

Rethinking your employer brand

Have you defined the one key quality that marks out your company from others?

And then built out your messaging and content to attract and retain the best and brightest in your space?

Creating an employer brand is a constant evolution and it’s never too late to rethink and reinvest in yours.

Our Employer Brand toolkit can help you get started. It includes a comprehensive guide to crafting a compelling Employee Value Proposition (EVP), ways to improve your candidate experience and a quiz that’ll show you how you measure up.

Download it for free here.

And get in touch with me if you’d like to discuss any issues you face attracting the right talent to your business.

Email alex.hess@bps-world.com and I’ll jump on a call with you straight away.